Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1887-10-01
FOR HOUSE OF DELEGATES
For Accomac,
DIR. A. D. F. EwELL.
For Accomac and Northampton,
HON. S. s. WILKINS.
WHERE WE STAND.

aGR has Tor sometime oeeu eliSaSou
in what seems to us a systematic
effort to misrepresent the policy OF
the Democratic party touching the
tariff, the internal revenue laws,
and the Blair Educational Bill. II
the aforesaid editor is reallyhonest
in what he says on these topics, he
displays an amount OF ignorance
that is truly appalling. We might
very we'll decline to accept his
challenge to discuss these subjects
with ole who manifests such All ut.
ter disregard Of the true facts OF
the case. He has persistently as
serted that the Democratic party
is in favor Of absolute free trade, is
opposed to repeating the internal
revenue taxes, aud is bitterly hos
tile to the Blair Educational Bill,
when every intelligent man in the
land knows that such is not the
case. Let MS see. The National
Democratic platform, adopted in
1854, on which Cleveland and Hen.
bricks were elected contained the
following explicit declaration:
.'The Democraticparty is pledged
to revise the tariff in spirit OF
fairness to all interests. But in
making reductions in taxes it is
not proposed to injure any domes
tic indu tries, but rather to pro
mote their healthy growth. From
the foundation of this government
taxes collected at the custom house
ii. e. tariff taxes) have been the
chief source of Federal revenue
Such they must continue to be-
Moreover, many industries have
come to rely upon legislation for
successful continuance, so that any
change of law must be at every
step regardful OF the labor and
capital thus involved. The neces-
sary reduction in taxation can and
AUST be effected without depriyiug
American lab. OF the ability to
compete successfully with foreign
labor and without imposing lower
rates OF duty than will be ample TO
cover any increased cost of produc-
ton which may exist in conse-
qrence of the higher rate OF wages
prevailing in this country"
The same platform denounces
the internal Revenue system as a
war tax, and demands that as long
as it exists the money derived from
itshall be devoted to removing the
burdens imposed by the war. In
order to carry out these pledges
the Democrats IN Congress pre-
pared a tariff bill, known as the
Morrison Bill, which provided
tor a eductien Of the war tariff, so
that it might bear heaviest Oh lux
uries and lightest on necessities;
but it was defeated by the almost
solid vote of the Republicans aided
by few boiling Democrats head
cd by Randall, Of Pennsylvania
This measure did not even squint
at free tlade. Again, in the clos
ing hours Of the last session OF
Congress the Democrats made
desperate effort to abolish the in
ternal revenue tax Oh tobacco that
weighs so heavily on Virginia and
other Southern States. Every
Democrat except eight voted for
the proposition, and every Repub
lican except three voted against it
and prevented it's consideration
and passage.
The Blair Educational Bill, that
has passed the Senate, received
more Democratic than Republican
votes in that body. The tact that
it has not been considered by the
House Of Representatives islargely,
if not entirely, due to the strenuous
opposition OF Northern Republl
can members. Every Democratic
Congressman from Virginia with
one exception was warmly in favor
of the bill. John Sherman, whom
the editor of the Varginidm seems
to be getting ready to support for
President in 1883, says he is OPP
posed to the bill because the white
people of the South will cheat the
negroes ont of their share of the
money. The strongest and bitter
est opponents of the Blair bill in
both houses of Congress are Re-
publicans, like Sherman, ingalls,,
Bouteille and other haters of the
South. The Republican party es
tablishcd the odious Internal Rev
enue system and have never prom
ised to repeal it, but have always
roted In nernatnata il. Every IA.